Controller for electrical circuits



Oct. 31, 1933. .1. E. COFFIN 1,932,449

CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS Filed May 14, 1932 INVENTOR JOHN E. COFF/N ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 31, 1933 PATENT OFFICE 1,932,449 CONTROLLERFOR ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS John E. Coflin, Maplewood, N. J., assignor toElectric Arc Cutting & Welding 00., Newark,

Application May 14, 1932. Serial No. 611,353

5 Claims.

5, 1932, wherein the entire Current is brought,

to the drum of the controller and distributed by it to the multiple-circuits shown in said application.

Therefore, the principal object of my invention is to provide acontroller which is relatively simple and inexpensive in design, yet onethat is 1 highly efiicient in its operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a controller which is soconstructed that the parts may be readily reached for the purpose ofadjusting the various contacts, or for renewal of any parts of thecontroller.

My invention will be readily understood by reference to the annexeddrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete controller.

Figure 2 is a view looking down on the top of the controller, only twoof the contact members being indicated, but the position of the othersbeing indicated by the broken lines.

Figure 3 is a view on the line 33 of Figure 2.

In the drawing, wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts in thevarious views, 1 is a framework having end support members 2 and 3.,Rotatably mounted between the end members 2 and 3 is a shaft 4 havingsome operating means, as a hand-wheel 5, on one end thereof. Carried onthe shaft 4, is a cylindrical drum 6. As shown more particularly inFigure 3, two U-shaped members '7 are fastened in any satisfactorymanner, as by screws 8, to the opposite ends of the drum 6. Preferably,the two members 7 are in contact with each other near the axis of thedrum 6, and the shaft 4 passes through both the members '7. While Iprefer to use two members 7, I have built controllers using only one.

Mounted between the end members 2 and 3, is a support member preferablyin the form of a polygonally-shaped metal rod 9 which extends parallelto the shaft 4 in the drum 6. If the rod 9 is of metal, it is coveredwith an insulator 10 preferably all in one piece, although it is obviousthat it may be made of several pieces, and around. the insulator 10 areclamped a plurality of contact members which are shown made of twosections 11 and 12 both preferably of good conducting material. As shownin Figure 3, the section 11 is clamped to the insulator by a clampingbolt 13.

The section 12 is provided with a pivot pin 14 positioned in a slot inthe section 11,and is held thereto by adjusting stud 15 which isthreaded at 16 so that it can be adjusted in the section ll to vary thetension of the spring 17 held in place be, tween the collars 1S and 19.As a matter of fact, the section 12 is composed of at least two pieces,a channel-shaped member 20 and a Contact piece 21 fastened thereto inany satisfactory manner as by one or more screws 22. The contact memberscomprising the two sections 11 and 12 are carried on the support memberor rod 9 and insulator 10 in such a manner that the Contact member 21extends over the drum 6 and is adapted to rub on the surface of the drum6. 1

In order to determine the time at which the various circuits through theseveral Contact pieces 21 will be completed, the drum is cut out atdifferent portions indicated by the numbers 23, 24, 25, etc. Preferably,one or more of the contact pieces 21 are either in Contact with thecontroller all the time, or they make contact with the controller on thefirst step thereof, so that the current from the circuit is brought tothe drum by one or more of these contact members and then distributed tothe various circuits connected to the other Contact members by means oflead wires connected to the clamping nuts 26 and controlled by the cutsor notches 23, 24, 25, etc., which are arranged as desired.

In order to position the drum for the different settings, a plurality ofnotches 27 are provided preferably at one end as indicated in Figures 1and 2, and these notches cooperate with one of the Contact pieces 21,which is not included in any circuit, to give certain positive andWell-defined steps to the different settings of the controller. The drumis preferably made of good conducting material, preferably hard drawncopper or bronze, and likewise the fingers 21 and their cooperatingparts, as has already been referred to.

As will be readily understood, the contact members are quicklyadjustable longitudinally on the support member 9 so as to line up withtheir respective notches in the drum 6, and by reason of the separateclamping piece 28, which is providedwith a finger 29 to engage a finger30 on the section 11, any one of the contact membore may be readilyremoved or applied to the support member without disturbing any of theother contact members. In addition, the drum 6 8 is so mounted on theshaft 4 that the shaft 4 can be quickly withdrawn from the frame and thedrum sb tlldt tlie elitire drums maybe taken out and-endtl iersubstituted in order to quickly meet the circuit requirements which maycome up.

From what has been said, it will be seen that I have provided acontroller that is very easy to construct, assemble, and dis-assemble,yet one that is highly eflicient in operation.

Having thus described inventiomwhat I claim is:

1. A controller for electric circuits including a frame, a metalliccylinder positioned between the ends of the frame, at least onecross-bar positinned at each end of the cylinder and fastened at bothends to the cylinder, a shaft extending said cross-members at the axialcenter ofttte'cyiinde'ri and directly connected to at least onepfsaidcross-pieces, a metallic rod supported bfthe ends of the frame andextending parallel wltlttlienylfndcn an'insulator covering said rod, aplurality of contact members longitudinally adjustablycarrietlonsaid rodand insulator and e f dihg'iti contactual position with said cylinsewer,said cylinder being cut away around its pemmeryin alignment with thediflerent contact mews according to the requirements of its circuit;atleast one oi said contact members being in continuous engagement withthe periphery 83"of the cyimder when the same is in circuit, to

m to

bring the current for distribution directly to the cylinder.

2. A controller for electric circuits as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized in that the cylinder has one row of notches thereincooperating with one of said contact members to act as astep-positioning means.

3. A controller for electric circuits aa set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized in that said rod and insulator are polygonal in shape, and85 each of said contact members has a part clamped around saidinsulator, and further characterized in that the cylinder at one end hasa row of notches therein cooperating with one oi. said contact membersto act as a step-positioning means.

4. A controller for electric circuits as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized in that said rod and insulator are polygonal in shape, andeach of said contact members is composed of two major metallic sections,one section being clamped around said insulator, the other section beingpivotally and adjustably mounted on thefirst section, and meansincluding notches in the cylinder for positively positioning the rotarymove ment of the cylinder in steps.

5. A circuit-controller as set forth in claim 1, further characterizedin that said contact members are constructed so any one may beindividually removed from said support rod without disturbing theothers, and further that the drum is carried on a shaft which may bereadily and quickly removed from theframe and drum forthe purposesdescribed.

JOHN E. COFFIN.

